I say beginner, because there are very few situations in which boosting is beneficial to a colony, and recognizing those situations is the only time to really justify it. Most people only want to brood boost because they are too impatient to let their colonies grow naturally or because they are neglecting their ants and wish to extend the life of the colony for a very short period without figuring out what the problem is.

Brood boosting comes with risks. It is an easy way to introduce mites or other unwanted guests to the habitat of your pet ants. It will potentially destroy a wild colony. It may even harm the health of your captive colony if there is more brood than your ants can care for or clean up after.

Some ant species require brood boosting or callow workers in order to get started, particularly social parasites or ants which may require the workforce of their mother colony (e.g. certain Dolichoderus). Knowing when boosting can actually help a queen is a reward that comes with care and experience.

If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.